Amara felt her eyes widen. "Do you mean to say... sire, is Kalarus conspiring with the Canim?"
"It would seem a rather large coincidence that he would be in position to attack in so many places, with such precision, and just at the moment when the most powerful furycrafters in his path would have been disabled-just precisely at the same time the Canim released this working."
"A signal," Amara said. "The stars were a signal for him to begin."
"Probably," Gaius replied.
"But... sire, no one has ever found common ground with the Canim. No Aleran would ever..." She broke off and bit her lip. "Mmm. But the facts suggest that one has. I sound like Senator Arnos."
"Far less tiresome," Gaius said. He put a hand on Amara's shoulder. "Countess, I have two things to tell you. First, if Kalarus manages to prevent Placida and Attica from sending reinforcements, he will in all probability seize the capital and its furies. Aquitaine and the other High Lords will contest him. Our Realm will dissolve into utter chaos. Tens of thousands will die, and if Kalarus truly has thrown in his hand with the Canim, we may be facing the end of the Realm entirely." He lowered his voice, emphasizing the words. "You must succeed. At any cost."
Amara swallowed and nodded her head.
"Second," he said, more quietly, "there is no one else in the Realm to whom I would sooner entrust this task than you, Amara. In the last few years, you have rendered more courageous service than most Cursors do in a lifetime. You do them great honor-and I am proud to have the loyalty of so worthy an individual."
Amara felt her back straighten as she looked up at the First Lord. Her throat felt tight, and she swallowed and murmured, "Thank you, sire."
He nodded once, and withdrew his hand. "Then I leave you to it," he said quietly. "Good luck, Cursor."
"Thank you, sire."
Gaius flicked his hands a few times, and the privacy furycrafting dissipated, vanishing from Amara's senses. At the same time, a gentle wind that hardly stirred the plants of the garden lifted Gaius from the ground, even as he wove another delicate veil around himself, vanishing as he took almost silently to the skies.
Amara stood staring up after the departed First Lord for a moment. Then she felt Bernard's presence at her side. He slipped an arm around her waist, and she leaned against him for a moment.
"I don't like this," he said.
"Nor I," Amara replied. "But that doesn't matter. You and Giraldi should go and inform the Steadholder of what happened here."
"Giraldi can take care of it," Bernard said. "I'm going with you."
"Don't be ridiculous," Amara said. "Bernard, you're-"
"Your husband. A veteran. An expert hunter and woodsman," he said. His jaw set into a line. "I'm going with you."
"I'm not-"
"Going to stop me from going with you. No one is."
Amara's chest suddenly felt very tight. She turned to her husband and kissed him once, on the mouth, and very lightly. Then she said, "Very well. If you're going to be a mule about it."
Giraldi limped up to them and grunted. "Now you be careful, sir. I don't want to be the only centurion in the Legions to get two of his commanders cut down."
Bernard traded grips with him. "Keep an eye on 'Sana. When she wakes up, tell her..." He shook his head. "Doesn't matter. She knows better than I what I'd say."
"Course," Giraldi agreed. Then he caught Amara in a rough hug, hard enough to make her ribs creak. "And you. Don't let him distract you none."
Amara hugged back, and said, "Thank you."
The old centurion nodded, saluted them, fist to heart, and limped from the garden.
"Very well, my lady," Bernard murmured. "Where do we begin?"
Amara frowned, and narrowed her eyes. "With someone who has seen Kalarus's operation from the inside, and who might know his plans." She turned to Bernard and said, "We're going to the dungeons."
Chapter 16
"You told the assembly that all of Kalarus's assassins had died rather than be captured," Lady Aquitaine murmured as they descended the last steps to the cells beneath Lord Cereus's citadel.
"Yes," Amara said. "I did. But this one we took alive. It is she who attempted to take the life of Steadholder Isana."
"She?" Lady Aquitaine asked, her tone interested. "The others were all men."
"Yes," Amara replied. "She was one of Kalarus's bloodcrows. It is possible that she might know something of his plans. She was high in his councils."
"And therefore loyal to him," Lady Aquitaine mused. "Or at least very much under his control. Do you actually believe she will divulge such information to you?"
"She will," Amara said. "One way or another."
She could feel the pressure of Lady Aquitaine's gaze on the back of her head. "I see," the High Lady murmured. "This shall be interesting."
Amara put a hand on Bernard's shoulder to signal him, and stopped on the cold stone stairway before her. She turned to face Lady Aquitaine. "Your Grace, I ask you to remember that you are here to assist me," she said quietly. "I will do the talking."
The High Lady narrowed her eyes, for a moment. Then she nodded, and Amara resumed her pace.
The "dungeon" of the citadel of Ceres was seldom in use. In fact, it appeared that the chilly place was primarily used for storing foodstuffs. Several crates of cabbages, apples, and tubers had been stacked neatly in the hall outside the only closed and guarded doorway. A legionare wearing a tunic in the brown and grey of the House of Cereus stood outside the door, a naked sword in his hand. "Halt, sir," he said, as Bernard entered the hall. "This area is off-limits."
Amara slipped around Bernard. "Legionare Karus, isn't it?" she asked.
The man came to attention and saluted. "Countess Amara? His Grace said you're to have access to the prisoner."
Amara gestured at Bernard and Lady Aquitaine. "They're with me."
"Yes, Your Excellency." The guard withdrew to the door, drawing the key from his belt. He hesitated for a moment. "Countess. I don't know who that woman is. But... she's hurt pretty bad. She needs a healer."
"I'll take care of that," Amara told him. "Has she tried to speak to you?"
"No, ma'am."
"Good. Leave the keys. I want you to take station at the bottom of the stairs. We're not to be disturbed for any but Lord Cereus or Gaius Sextus himself."